During a near-collision with Paxton, Gordon's boiler is damaged by a stone from the diesel's train. Gordon refuses to get looked over, and continues on. He soon craves more water as his boiler his leaking, but his constant stops annoy the passengers. Gordon becomes so impatient that his boiler nearly runs dry.

Stafford is disappointed children do not cheer for him the way they do for Thomas, and discovers it's because he makes little noise. Thomas and Percy feel sorry for him and teach him some noises that steam engines make, and Stafford soon learns to replicate them. Things go awry when his noisiness causes confusion and delay with a task that requires quietness.